But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25 NKJV)

To make the Bible as real as the air we breathe, it is important to put ourselves in the Bible as a character, not a spectator. If we put the Bible’s characters’ shoes on our feet, we will be stronger in our quest to absorb the wisdom revealed in the Bible. Putting ourselves on scene allows us to better take what’s read and apply it to our situations, giving us hope and increasing our faith.

The Bible was not written as a history lesson but as the only guide to our lives. Therefore, we must be hearers and doers of the word. What better way to do that than to dive deep into the scriptures and not come up until we have gathered all the wisdom, knowledge and understanding available to us (Proverbs 25:3-4). The more time we spend consumed in God’s word, by reading and then meditating on what we just read, the easier it will be to recognize His voice.

If we would take a moment to mull over scripture, instead of rushing through it hoping to grasp something that will stick, we will gain the clarity that will guide our thoughts which then become decisions. Giving God the proper time will prove more meaningful every time the Bible opens for quiet time. Even if you only have ten minutes to read the Bible, let the Holy Spirit lead you to learn something to apply to your life in those minutes.